Nothing is left to Fate
by Voltaire The Second
Summary: Faced with an impossible choice, Prince Corrin is tasked with ending a decade old war between two opposing nations. Torn between two families, the young prince must make harsh decisions, and must be able to solve the mystery regarding the man he once thought of as his father. This is a story of conquest, birthrights, and revelations.
1. Chapter 1-An Impossible Decision

**Yo, this is an updated version of Chapter 1! After looking through it again, I noticed several grammatical errors. After several hours of editing later, enjoy the new and improved version of Chapter 1-An Impossible Decision. If this is your first time here, Welcome to "Nothing is left to Fate"! In this story, I'll be tackling on the challenge of combining the events of the three "Fire Emblem Fates" games into one story, along with exploring and explaining things that happened in game that i felt weren't touched upon enough. Hope you enjoy!**

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 **Chapter 1**

 **An Impossible Decision**

War. Chaos. Death.

There were only a few words that described what was taking place upon the battlefield. The minor battles and scuffles that had occured between the kingdoms of Nohr and Hoshidohad escalated into full blown war. At the center of the battlefield stood two royal families, one belonging to each kingdom. In between them, stood one man. A man, born to one family, but raised by the other, and on either side of him, his siblings were asking young Prince Corrin to make an impossible decision. To choose the family he would side with, and utterly alter the course of his life.

Nohr? Or Hoshido?

To his right, the silver haired prince's blood family stood. The Hoshidan royal family consisted of Ryoma, Takumi, Hinoka, and Sakura. Ryoma, a master swordsman dressed in red samurai armor, stood to Corrin's right, his hand outstretched.

"Brother, this way, hurry!" Ryoma cried out. Corrin's uncertain crimson eyes stared into his brother's hopeful hazel ones. Many emotions ran through his older brother's eyes. Uncertainty, desperation, hope; Corrin was frozen though. The choice that was weighing on his shoulders kept him from taking a single step forward.

"B-big brother?" Sakura, Corrin's youngest Hoshidan sibling called out shyly. Corrin felt sweat drip down the side of his face. He wanted to move, to join his Hoshidan siblings. He wanted to avenge his mother's death, but his body wouldn't move.

"He's my brother!" a high pitched voice called out. Corrin looked to his left and saw his Nohrian siblings; Xander, Camilla, Leo, and Elise. Each of them wore a terrified expression on their faces, horrified at the very thought of losing their brother, the only thing that brought light to the darkness of their kingdom. Only Xander kept his expression calm and cold as he stretched out his hand.

"We're your family." he said calmly. Corrin remembered all of the years he spent with his Nohrian siblings; how they kept him company in the otherwise abandoned Northern Fortress. He remembered how Elise, his youngest sibling, always wanted to play 'hide and seek' and how that bright smile of hers never disappeared. He remembered how Leo would teach him new things about Nohrian culture and history, and even things like how to read and write. He recalled how even when he wanted to give up when he couldn't understand something, and felt that he wasn't very intelligent; that he didn't have the strategic mind that Leo possessed. Leo was always there to encourage him to keep going, that it just took practice. He remembered how Camilla was always there to take care of him when he was sick or injured. He had many fond memories on how she would always sing to him when he had trouble sleeping. He remembered how Xander taught him how to fight, and what value there was in life, love, and family.

' _Family…_ ' Corrin thought to himself. Here he was, A child of the Hoshidan royal family, but raised by the Nohrian royal family. However, King Garon of Nohr had his Mother, Queen Mikoto of Hoshido killed. Corrin himself would have died if not for his mother shielding him from the attack. He couldn't ignore this, but at the same time, he couldn't turn his back on the family that raised him.

"Nohrian scum! First you steal him, and then you lie to him? Corrin is our brother!" Hinoka screeched. Corrin's eyes narrowed at the insult Hinoka has thrown out to his Nohrian siblings.

"You are mistaken. Corrin is my adorable little brother. You may not have him." Camilla calmly stated, but anyone could hear the edge in her voice.

' _But...I'm not your real brother…_ '

"Corrin, they killed our mother! You aren't seriously considering joining up with them, are you?" Takumi questioned.

' _There's no denying that, but…_ '

"How dare you accuse us of such a thing, you Hoshidan trash!? We would never do anything that would put Corrin's life in danger, or cause him such sadness!" Leo snapped. Corrin's eyes narrowed further.

"Big brother…" two voices whimpered out. Corrin looked around to locate the source of the voices. He saw that they belonged to Elise and Sakura, tears threatening to spill out from the corner of their eyes. Corrin's face adopted a guilty expression. Why couldn't he just choose one.

' _This should be easy! Xander and the others raised me! So why can't I just walk over there?_ ' Corrin lamented. During his internal struggle, the two opposing families continued to argue with one another, their insults becoming as sharp as the weapons they carried. The tears that were at the two youngest sibling's eyes were now falling freely down their faces. And while all of this was going on, the war between the two nations raged on.

The weight of this decision was weighing heavily on the young prince's shoulders. He didn't want to hurt any of his siblings, but there was no way he could do that in this situation.

"Nohrian scum!"

"Hoshidan trash!"

"Corrin is our brother!"

"No, he's ours!"

"Big brother!"

"Brother please, let's just go home!"

"Enough!" Corrin roared. The arguing stopped. Both families looked at the young prince in surprise. He was always so polite and well mannered. Where had that anger come from?

"You all expect me to choose one family over the other? How? HOW?!" Corrin screeched. All of his siblings flinched at this.

"I can't choose between you...I can't...I love you all too much to pick one and forsake the other. I don't want to hurt any of you…" Corrin cried. His pent up frustration released itself through his eyes, and it feel like a fierce waterfall down his face. The Prince fell to his knees, and his face into his hands. The only sounds that could be heard were his own muffled sobs. No one moved. No one spoke. They hadn't realized what they had one until now. They only wanted what was best for Corrin. They firmly believed that he was safest, and he would be at his happiest if he was with them. Both families shared this conviction.

Corrin's sobbing continued. He covered his eyes with one hand, while the other was now on the ground supporting him.

"I'm sorry...I'm so sorry…" he kept saying, over and over. With each apology muttered, the hearts of his sibling's broke more and more. Xander and Ryoma felt ashamed. Leo and Takumi could only bow their heads. Sakura and Elise were still crying, now even more so than before. Hinoka was biting her lip in frustration, unsure of what to do in order to console her brother, and Camilla...well, before she even knew what she was doing, the lavender haired beauty ran to Corrin and threw her arms around him. She buried his head into her chest, trying her best to calm him down. Tears were falling down her face, but that didn't matter. Corrin was in pain, and she had to fix that.

"Corrin...my sweet Corrin, I'm so sorry...please, don't cry anymore. My heart can't take it." she pleaded. Corrin felt her warm tears fall onto his face. Looking up, he saw her guilty and pained expression. It tore at his heart to see her like that, and slowly returned her hug, trying to mend her pain now.

"I'm sorry Camilla...I'm so sorry. I don't know what to do." Corrin choked out. Camilla just ran her fingers through his silver locks and held him tight.

"I can't tell you what to do Corrin. Nothing would make me happier than you coming home with us. We need you...I need you…" she whispered to him. Corrin didn't respond to her. He couldn't. He didn't trust himself enough. Sensing his hesitation, she spoke once more.

"I've wanted nothing more than for you to be happy. It doesn't matter who you go with, so long as you have that wonderful smile upon your face. Just know, that no matter what, I will always love you." she said. With that said, she leaned forward and kissed his cheek, and brushed away his remaining tears with her thumb.

"You will always have a home in my heart." she whispered affectionately. Corrin's eyes widened at this. He looked at his "sister" in awe, and she just smiled. Corrin's gaze lowered to the ground once more. He ran through everything that had happened up until. He looked towards both of his families once more. Then he looked at Comilla once again. He closed his eyes, and took a deep breath. When he was done, his eyes snapped open, and with them, a new, fierce look of determination adorned his face.

"Thank you...Camilla." he spoke softly. She smiled weakly and nodded. She joined the rest of her siblings, leaving Corrin alone once again.

"Sorry about that everyone. I lost my cool there for a moment. But, I have made my choice." he stated. Everyone there looked at him. The tension in the air was thick, and feelings of anxiety and dread filled the air. Corrin took one more deep breath to calm himself.

"My family is…"

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 **The cliffhanger is still strong with this chapter. Please don't hate me for it! I tried really hard to build upon and expand the scene in which Corrin has to choose who he'll side with. Dramatic affect along with an introspective look at Corrin's thoughts during this event we're actually really hard to do with this part. I wanted to make it believable while keeping all the characters in character. I think I made Corrin a bit dramatic though...oh well. Let me know what you think! Leave a review for me, and tell me what you loved, hated, and what you think I could work on! And expect Chapter 2 very soon! See you all next time! :D**


	2. Chapter 2-The Wheels of Fate Turn

**Hey, it's been a while! My lack of internet has really been putting a damper on my writing. I have to go out to coffee shops and friends house's if I wanna write, and being a college student while working a 15-30 hour job doesn't really give me a lot of free time. But I'm really trying guys, and I'm so sorry to keep you all waiting. Before I forget though, I updated chapter 1, so in case you haven't checked that out, you totally should before reading chapter 2. I fixed a lot of grammatical errors, and I changed wording so the story flows a lot better now. I have been working on my other stories, and update for "Dragon and a Vampire" and "Devils and a Devil Slayer" should be coming out within the next month or so. But if you're here, then you wanna read this story, so I won't keep you waiting! Please, enjoy!**

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 **Chapter 2**

 **The Wheels of Fate begin to Turn**

"I choose Nohr." Corrin stated with confidence. At first, there was nothing but silence. Both families just stood there, trying to process what they just heard. After several moments, it finally clicked with all members of each royal family. A collective sigh of relief sounded among the Nohrian Royal Family. Elise was practically jumping for joy, while Leo and Xander just smiled contently. However, Camilla had the most noticeable reaction in the group. She was crying tears of absolute joy. Corrin would stay with her, and they could still be a family! Unfortunately, while one family celebrated, another one quickly fell into despair.

The youngest princess of Hoshido wasted no time in shedding her tears. Sakura, who had fallen to her knees was devastated upon hearing her brother choose his kidnappers over his blood. Hinoka was in denial. She was absolutely convinced Corrin was under some Nohrian brainwashing. Ryoma stood there quietly, as he expected this outcome. Corrin had no ties to his real family; none except their mother, who was no longer with them. Ryoma closed his eyes, trying to hold the tears back. He had to be strong for his siblings, for his country. Out of all the members of the Hoshidan Royal Family, Takumi probably took it the worst. Anger quickly fueled his body as he loaded an arrow into his bow.

"TRAITOR!" Takumi roared as he fired the arrow from his bow, the Fujin Yumi. The arrow hit its mark, straight into Corrins right leg. Corrin, not expecting the attack, instantly fell to the ground with a sharp scream. The arrow effectively pierced Corrin's lower right leg, making it impossible to stand. No one had quite realized what had happened at first, as it happened so quickly. Only Corrin's cries of anguish made them realize what had happened. Before both families, their brother laid on the ground profusely bleeding from his leg. Xander quickly began to take action.

"Elise, start treating Corrin now! We need that arrow removed and the wound closed and disinfected!" Xander ordered. Elise wasted no time in carrying out that order. She looked to her older brother, who was writhing on the ground in pain. The young Nohrian Prince laid on the ground, desperately trying to get his breathing under control, so he wouldn't pass out. The young healer whispered a small apology to her brother as she broke off the top of the arrow, and then pulled out the arrow from the back of his leg. A sharp but brief yelp erupted from Corrin's mouth as he understood the context of her apology. Sweet Elise, always looking out for those she loved. Corrin, not trusting his own words, simply nodded and smiled to his younger sister. Satisfied, Xander looked to Leo next.

"Leo, I need you to cover Elise as she tends to Corrin. Let no one except us near them, do I make myself clear?" the crown prince of Nohr commanded. Leo simply nodded and took up a defensive position near Elise and Corrin. Xander, who had already figured out that it was Takumi who attacked Corrin was about to attack the young Hoshidan Prince himself, but found that his lavender haired sister was already on it. Her axe was aimed straight for the young prince's heart, where he basically attacked her by attacking Corrin. Takumi, who was still so shocked at what he had done, didn't register the fact that the eldest Nohrian Princess was on the warpath for his head.

"I'll kill you, you swine!" Camilla roared as she brought her axe down upon him. Unfortunately, her arc was stopped by a naginata belonging to a certain red haired Princess of Hoshido. The two eldest princess' glared daggers at each other for what seemed like an eternity. Violet eyes bore into maroon, with nothing but venom and boiling hatred being communicated by both. The two jumped back from each other, each princess sizing up her opponent.

"So," Camilla began, venom dripping from her words, "...you are Corrin's 'real' sister." it was more of a statement than a question. Hinoka took a moment before answering her counterpart.

"Yes, I am. I've been looking for Corrin all these years. Not a day has gone by where I haven't thought of the sweet, innocent boy you Nohrian bastards have stolen from us. I promise you this, I will take Corrin back, and he will live with his blood family, his true family." Hinoka vowed. Camilla's eyes narrowed dangerously.

"If you think that you can keep such a foolish vow, then please, be my guest. However, I promise you this. No one will touch a precious hair on my darling Corrin's head, do I make myself clear? I'll kill anyone who dare tries." Camilla countered. Hinoka growled in response. Silence followed for several seconds after before the two leapt into battle. Each princess rushed towards each other with killer intent gleaming in their eyes. Camilla began by bringing her axe down in a downward arc, but that was easily intercepted by Hinoka, who raised her naginata over her head flatly. Camilla, who was not deterred by this, applied more force to her axe. Hinoka tried in vain to keep her guard up, but had no other choice than to slant her naginata down to one side in order to alleviate the pressure that was being applied. Camilla, not expecting this, fell forward while Hinoka quickly stepped to the side. The red haired princess took her counterpart's lack of balance as an opportunity to launch her first attack. She swung her weapon horizontally, hoping to land a wide slash across the Nohrian Princess' chest. However, Camilla regained her balance, and used the flat side of her axe to guard against the incoming blow. Camilla smirked viciously at her opponent.

"Leave it to a Hoshidan to resort to cheap tricks like that in combat. Unfortunately for you darling, I've been trained to handle amateur tactics like those!" Camilla roared as she brought her axe down on Hinoka with a speed and ferocity that the Hoshidan Princess wasn't expecting. Having no time to bring up her weapon in defense, she had no choice but to step out of the way. However, Camilla expected this. She slowed down her swing, as she knew that Hinoka would dodge her attack. As her axe hit the ground, she brought it back up and swung it in a circle with blunt side being the focal point of her attack. Hinoka wasn't expecting a second attack so soon, and as a result, got smacked with the broad side of Camilla's axe. The resulting blow sent the crown Princess of Hoshido flying onto her back. Camilla smiled victoriously as she began to walk slowly towards her downed opponent. As she she stood over her, she smiled smugly.

"Like I said darling. I'll kill anyone foolish enough to try and take my dear Corrin away from me." Camilla stated. She raised her axe over her head, preparing to bring it down upon her victim.

"Any last words, Princess of Hoshido?" she asked. Hinoka glared at her violet haired counterpart.

"Go to Hell, Nohrian scum." Hinoka spat. Camilla could only sigh at HInoka's bitter remark. She brought her axe down quickly, however, something stopped her blade. A golden sword had interrupted her swords arc. Looking up to see the sword's owner, she saw a newly restored Corrin.

"Corrin!" Camilla cried with joy. She tossed her axe aside and threw her arms around his neck. Warm tears flew freely down her cheeks as she closely inspected every aspect of his body, making sure nothing was wrong with him.

"Camilla, I'm fine. Elise is certainly a gifted healer, wouldn't you say?" Corrin stated, a small smile on his face. Camilla nodded in agreement. Nothing brought her more joy than seeing her precious Corrin working in top condition. She would certainly have to praise her younger sister as well. Such a good girl she was, and talented to as well. Given time, she would certainly be the best healer in all of Nohr! Camilla shook her head of her musings, as she needed to focus on the battle at hand. More importantly, she needed to focus on why Corrin stopped her from executing her Hoshidan counterpart.

"Corrin, sweetie," Camilla started firmly, a stern glint in her eye. Corrin gulped in fear. He knew that look all too well. That was the look she gave her siblings whenever they did something wrong. "Why did you stop me from putting this Hoshidan wench six feet under?" Camilla asked, a dangerous look growing in her eyes. Corrin was internally sweating at the idea that he made his sister upset. However, he steeled his nerves, as he wouldn't budge on this matter.

"You will not kill my sister. I don't care if she's the enemy, she's still family. I won't lose anyone I care about to this war. We're going to blaze a new path for Nohr. A path of peace and understanding. That path begins here and now." Corrin vowed. Camilla looked at her adoptive brother for a moment with a neutral expression upon her face. He really was such an innocent soul, and Camilla knew she had to protect him at all costs. She looked down at Hinoka, who seemed touched and surprised at the dragonic Prince's words.

"You're lucky that MY brother is such a kind and caring soul. You've been spared today, but next time, you won't be so lucky." and with a flip of her hair, Camilla walked away. Even though it wasn't spoken, Corrin knew that Camilla had listened to him, and he was so happy because of it. He looked down towards his Hoshidan sister, and smiled sadly. He walked over to her and extended his hand towards her, offering to help her up. Hinoka looked at his hand, and then at his face, and saw a warm but sad smile adorning it. She sighed, and then took his hand.

"Did you mean what you said Corrin? About wanting to change Nohr?" Hinoka asked him. Corrin nodded in response and smiled.

"Of course I meant it sister. I want to end this war peacefully. Though we may be on opposing sides, I still love all of you. I couldn't bear to lose any of you. You're all much too important to me. You're just as much my sister as Camilla is. I want you to know that even though the next time we meet will be as enemies, I will always protect you when it matters." Corrin promised. While Corrin was explaining things, he hadn't noticed that Hinoka had started crying. When he finished, the brash princess threw her arms around him in a tight embrace.

"I love you so much Corrin. I'm so glad that you've turned out to be such a strong and kind person. Even though we may meet again as enemies, I still look forward to the day where I may meet you again." Hinoka lamented.

"Hinoka, I promise, when this war is over, we'll be a family again. I love you sister. No matter what, you will all have a place in my heart. But I need to take this path." and with that said, Corrin turned to jain the rest of his family. Xander and Ryoma ended their brief duel in a tie, while Leo and Takumi did not partake in the battle, as they were both tasked with keeping their younger sisters safe.

"This is the only way to end things...it has to be done this way." Corrin kept saying to himself.

"Is that what you think?" a voice called out to him. Corrin stopped dead in his tracks, and looked around, trying to locate the owner of the voice. His searched stopped when he found the blue haired songstress, Azura.

"Azura! What do you mean?" Corrin questioned. Azura simply shook her head, a sad smile adorning her face.

"Nothing really. All I ask, is that you keep an open eye,and an open mind. All is not what it seems. Keep that in mind Corrin. Until we meet next." Azura said cryptically. She turned and left, rejoining the rest of the Hoshidan royal family. Corrin could only wonder what is was that Azura was trying to tell him.

"Azura...what could you possibly know that I don't?" Corrin asked himself. Azura was quite the enigma. She was always so withdrawn, yet she seemed to know so much about everything. Her golden eyes held a wisdom that was far beyond her years.

"Corrin!" Xander's voice called out to him. Corrin shook his head from his thoughts, and looked toward his older brother, who was accompanied by the rest of the Nohrian royal family. The young prince ran towards his adoptive family and smiled at them. Xander's usual calm demeanor was broken, as a proud and excited smile was worn upon his face.

"You made the right choice today little prince. We will end this war swiftly, that I promise you. Father will be most happy to see that you're okay." Xander said. Corrin's face visually paled at the thought of meeting his adoptive father again. There were things that needed to be explained.

"About that…" Corrin started, however, Camilla interrupted him.

"It can wait, dear brother. We must start our journey back, right Xander?" she asked. Though, even if it was worded as a question, everyone there knew that it was more of a demand. Even Xander faltered in his confidence for the briefest of moments.

"Of course Camilla. Corrin, saddle up with Leo. It'd be faster if we all traveled by horse." Xander ordered. Corrin happily complied, quickly getting behind Leo on his horse. Leo turned and smiled at his older brother.

"I must say Corrin, you really do have the devil's own luck." Leo remarked slyly. Corrin sighed in response before speaking.

"Yeah, I guess that's one way of putting it brother. If only I was even remotely lucky though." Corrin lamented.

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 **To be honest, I'm kind of really proud of myself for the fight between Hinoka and Camilla. I didn't wanna have them fight on their mounts just yet, and trying to come up with a fighting style that suited both was hard. Plus, it was my first attempt at writing a fight scene with the use of weapons, so please, let me know how I did. Also, in case you didn't catch the hint, there will be a definite lead up to Revelations much later on in the story. But anyway, how'd you all like it? Let me know with a review, and hey, if you liked the story so much that you wanna know when I update it, you should totally follow it to! I'll see you all next time!**


	3. Chapter 3-Proving One's Self

**Hey guys! It's been a while, I know, but this is actually the longest chapter for this story I've written yet. As such, I really wanted to make sure it was the best one I've written yet. Though, the sudden increase in hours at work really didn't help either...but you're not here to read about my complaints, are you? Well anyway, here's chapter three! I hope you enjoy!**

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 **Chapter 3**

 **Proving One's Self**

The journey back to Nohr had been an awkward predicament for the young Prince. Camilla had been refusing any sort of physical contact offered by Corrin, which had been odd indeed. Camilla, the very definition of a doting older sister, hadn't been doting towards him one bit. Whenever Corrin had offered to help carry some of her supplies, care for Marzia, Camilla's wyvern, or even just an affectionate hug, Camilla simply shrugged him off.

"I don't need any help darling. Perhaps you should be caring for your other sister." Camilla replied coolly each time. Corrin knew what she was referring to all too well. Obviously, Camilla was more than just bitter about Corrin's mercy towards his Hoshidan sister, Hinoka. Camilla's aloofness towards Corrin was noticed by the other members of the Nohrian royal family as well.

"Just give her time, Corrin. I'm sure she'll come around eventually." Xander advised.

"When she gets like this, it's best just to give her some space." Leo warned.

"I've never seen her get like this before. She's always been so nice and fun to be around with me." Elise responded. Corrin was at a loss of what to do in this situation. He obviously couldn't confront her about this, nor could he just leave things be either. He sighed deeply, contemplating what he could do to remedy the situation.

"Honestly, I should have expected this. She is the jealous type,after all." Corrin remarked. Reminiscing about his past back at the Northern Fortress, he recalled a time where Camilla threw a tantrum when Corrin had been spending more time with his retainers, Felicia and Flora, rather than her.

* * *

" _It_ 's _not_ _fair Corrin! They get to see you all the time!"_ she ranted. _"You can play with them later. After all, family is more important than anything else."_ she reasoned. When the two maids tried to explain things to her, she obviously understood, and calmed down immediately.

" _I'm sorry, are you trying to interrupt MY time with MY Corrin? Because I'd hate to see what would happen to those pretty faces of yours if you are."_ she stated very calmly, with a sickly sweet smile resting upon her young face. The two maids immediately backed away, and gave the adolescent princess the time she so desperately needed with her baby brother. Corrin, of course, being the shy and still traumatized boy that he was, simply just sat there and watched the scene unfold before him. Though he was still a child, watching Camilla successfully threaten two people who he considered strong in their own way, did instill a certain form of respect for her. Turning towards Corrin, Camilla smiled happily as she ran towards him and hugged him to the ground.

" _Corrin! Oh how I've missed_ _you so! I've been counting the days since I've last seen your adorable face!"_ Camilla cried out, as her grip on Corrin only seemed to tighten. Corrin, not wanting to ruin his sister's moment, only hugged her back with whatever strength he had.

" _Sister, it's only been four days since we last saw each other."_ he remarked. Camilla only hugged him tighter in response.

" _That's four days too long! I promise Corrin, once you're able to leave this horrible place, we'll be together everyday!"_ she vowed.

"Together everyday, right?" Corrin whispered to himself. With everything that's been going on lately, between Corrin's trials, being kidnapped, and nearly being killed at least 3 times, they hadn't been spending a lot of time together recently. Currently, with Camilla's sudden coldness towards Corrin, the Nohrian Prince was beginning to wonder if they would ever be a family again.

* * *

The troop had long since passed The Bottomless Canyon, and had begun making their way towards Nohr's capital, Windmire. After spending so much time in the bright and sunny country of Hoshido, Corrin had realized how truly ugly the landscape of his beloved country was. Instead of lush, green fields, Nohr was full of barren wastelands, where the land was hard and it wasn't fertile for farming. Instead of the warm weather that allowed the growth of beautiful sakura trees, there was only the bitter cold that was often followed by harsh snowstorms and torrential thunderstorms.

' _Am I really fighting for all this?'_ Corrin wondered as he looked out onto the dark landscape. Nohr truly was an ugly country. Most of the country's terrain was mountain. In terms of altitude, Nohr was very high up, and as a result, clouds were almost always a constant sight. Most of the mountains were covered in snow and were cold nearly all year round. Living conditions were hard on Nohr's inhabitants, but it made nearly all of them strong and burly.

As a result of the harsh living conditions presented onto Norh's people, those who chose to join the military were always in top condition. As a matter of fact, Norh's military was often regarded as one of, if not the most powerful in all the land. War was the way the dark country made most of its money. Nohr had little to offer in terms of exportable goods, but by waging wars, and gaining new territories where fertile land and goods were more of a common occurrence, the kingdom prospered greatly.

"Leo, stop being such a meanie!" Elise shouted as she whacked her older brother's shins with her staff. All things considered, Leo took it rather well.

"OW! Elise, I'm only saying that you should start acting your age. You are, after all, technically an adult." Leo explained, trying to justify himself. Camilla took notice of her quarrelling siblings, and did what any big sister would do.

"Now, my precious brother and sister, we mustn't fight amongst ourselves. Darling Elise, tell me, what's happened that would cause you to strike your adorable brother here?" Camilla inquired. Elise huffed once before explaining.

"Camilla, he was so mean! I invited him and his retainers to my tea party, and do you know what he said?!" she cried out. Camilla only shook her head, an understanding smile adorning her face. Leo only sighed deeply in frustration.

"He said that tea party's are only for little girls who have too much free time on their hands!" the youngest princess cried out, throwing her arms around Camilla's body in a tight embrace. Camilla shot Leo a dirty look, while the youngest prince paled at the thought of what his older sister might do to him.

"There, there, I'm sure he didn't mean anything mean by it. You're older brother is just bashful. I'm sure he'd love to go to your tea party. Isn't that right, Leo?" Camilla inquired. Though it was worded as a question, everyone present knew that Camilla was actually threatening her little brother. All except for Elise, who was blissfully unaware of how terrifying her older sister truly was.

"Of course, dear sister. I would...absolutely love to go." Leo managed to get out. Camilla and Elise both smiled brightly as Xander chuckled at the awkward situation his brother had gotten himself into. Suddenly, an idea popped into the crowned Prince of Nohr's head. Not only would this further embarrass his youngest brother, but hopefully, it would bridge the gap between Corrin and Camilla.

"What a wonderful idea Elise. I think that we should all attend this tea party, as a family. Of course, if that's alright with you, little princess." Xander announced. Of course, he knew that Elise would agree. The youngest Princess of Nohr loved her family dearly, and would do anything to spend time with them. True to Xander's knowledge of his sister, Elise looked about ready to burst from happiness.

"That would be wonderful! Corrin! Camilla! You two simply have to come as well!" Elise demanded with a smile of pure joy adorned on her face. Of course, Camilla could never refuse her sister.

"Oh Elise, of course I'll go!" Camilla exclaimed. Elise hugged her sister tightly while showering thanks upon her. Though, now all eyes were on Corrin.

Corrin wasn't exactly sure where he stood with his family now. He knew the truth about how he came to be a Prince of Nohr. Those of his family that didn't know he was technically adopted, now knew. Corrin was sure that he sensed resentment from Leo, but Elise didn't seem to care. Xander seemed almost relieved and thankful that Corrin chose to side with Nohr, while with Camilla, he couldn't really understand what was going on in her head lately. Feeling himself backed into a corner, Corrin acquiesced.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world Elise." Corrin answered with a small smile. Before he even knew what was happening, Corrin found himself tackled onto the ground, with a mop of blonde hair covering his face. Realising that Elise had hugged him so hard that she ended up tackling him, Corrin couldn't help but smile.

' _This is it. This is what I'm fighting for.'_ Corrin thought to himself.

* * *

In truth, Corrin had only visited Castle Krakenburg one other time before now. Even still, the sight of the imposing castle still sent shivers down his spine. While it was certainly called a castle, Krakenburg looked more like a gothic coliseum. It was cut off from the rest of Windmire with a high wall that circled around the castle. The way the castle was designed was certainly odd as well. There were only a handful of main towers and buildings, while most of the exterior was connected by circular platforms and long bridges. The interior was reminiscent of a gothic cathedral, decorated in many golds, reds, blacks, and purples. Even the very air of the castle was cold, and gave an unforgiving atmosphere. Only the strongest deserved to stand in the castle, and the castle's' ruler, King Garon, made sure of that.

King Garon was a cruel but cunning ruler. He valued strength and loyalty above all else. Showing weakness, or even disobeying his orders in the slightest was grounds for immediate execution. The old king ruled his country with an iron fist, as his word was the absolute law of the land. Though, even he had a soft spot for his children at times. As long as they dutifully obeyed every command, he was willing to let one or two failures slip by every now and again. However, when it came to Corrin…

"You! How dare you came back here!" the old king roared from upon his throne, surprising all who were present. Even the king's advisor, Iago, who was known for his cruelty and silver tongue, was surprised by his liege's sudden outburst. Nohr's royal family was also caught off guard. Surely their father read the reports? Surely he knew that Corrin had been captured by the enemy? Surely he got the reports that told of Corrin's decision to side with Nohr? So why, in the First Dragon's names, did he look ready to kill Corrin on the spot?

Corrin legs were shaking in fear. He hadn't seen his adoptive father so worked up before. The last time Corrin upset him, Garon launched several high level spells towards him, severely weakening him. The mad king was so angry that he was shaking in his throne. His grip upon the golden sign of royalty was strong; so strong that he was actually crushing the metal.

"F-father, a-a-allow me to explain…" Corrin began, but was quickly cut off.

"I don't need to hear your excuses, boy! You dare return here after spending time with the enemy? Do you think me so foolish as to think that they didn't tell you of your heritage? Any sane man would choose his birth family over one that kidnapped him, which leads me to believe that you are here as a spy." Garon accused. Corrin truly had no words. His adoptive father's logic was sound, there was no doubt about that. However, Corrin truly thought that the man who raised him all these years would have more faith in him than that. Just as Corrin found the words to defend himself, someone else in the room had beaten him to it.

"Now hold on just a moment father! I can personally vouch for Corrin. He chose us over Hoshido without a second thought. He fought bravely to defend us from his Hoshidan siblings, and the army they brought with them. Never, have I ever been more proud of him." Xander defended. To his credit, in order to grow up in the environment that Garon provided, each member of Nohr's royal family had to learn to be very convincing liars. It was necessary, in order to keep their humanity intact. The inhumane things that he made them do..

"A convenient lie, I'm sure. We have several eye witness statements that say Corrin spent many days inside Castle Shirasagi. Do you honestly expect us to believe that Corrin said nothing of us while he was there, in an effort to save his own life?" Iago added in.

"Iago, you'd do well to silence that silver tongue of yours before someone does it for you." Leo growled angrily. The royal advisor quickly shut his mouth, before Leo added more. "If Corrin really was a traitor, then why would Prince Takumi shoot an arrow at him? A spy, no matter how valuable, is worth nothing if they're dead. No one in their right mind would take that risk." Leo explained. As usual, Leo's cool head and genius level intellect never failed to surprise his family. Though, King Garon was not impressed.

"Corrin, all I have heard are your brother's praise and defense of you, yet I have heard nothing from you yourself. Am I to believe that you, a prince raised in Nohr, truly have no backbone to defend yourself? Or are you really Hoshidan trash?" Garon taunted. Corrin let loose an audible growl and clenched his fists tightly. The Dragonstone that he kept around his neck began to pulse and vibrate violently, signifying the activation of his Dragon transformation. The prince's red pupils began to change into vertical slits, and his nails began forming into claws and talons. All who were present were certainly surprised by Corrin's sudden change in demeanor. What happened to calm and loving prince they all knew? Who was this stranger who was struggling to contain his own anger?

"I AM a Prince of Nohr! I chose to side with Nohr, the only family I have ever known. Father, you know me. I love you all so dearly. The time I spent in Hoshido was merely a ruse until I could fully plot my escape. As fate would have it, I encountered Xander and the others on the battlefield, where I made my true allegiance known. Now, if anyone dares question my loyalty, I'll cut them down where they stand!" Corrin growled out, his voice having a strange, warbled tone. The young prince's glare was focused solely on Iago, who looked as though he was ready to duck at the slightest sign of movement from Corrin.

Corrin's brothers and sisters were utterly shocked and silenced but his sudden rage induced outburst. Garon, on the other hand was impressed with his adoptive son's sudden change in attitude. It seemed like all was going according to plan. Corrin's rage was growing by the day, it appeared. The mad king could only smirk.

"My lord, truly, you can't believe him?! I'm sure the snake would say anything to save his own skin!" Iago exclaimed, his eyes focused on said lord. Iago was much too cowardly to look at Corrin directly, as he could feel the young prince's glare burning into him.

"Shut up Iago, you big meanie! Corrin's the best person in the whole world, and you're just jealous!" Elise screeched. Corrin's gaze turned to his blonde sister. Now that he wasn't so focused on his anger, he noticed a searing pain in his hands. Looking down, he saw the claws that had been growing from his fingers had actually pierced his skin, drawing a small amount of blood from the open cuts. His eyes widened only a fraction in surprise, as he tried desperately to cover his hands.

"Watch your mouth, Princess Elise. Children have no place in these types of discussions." Iago snapped at Nohr's youngest princess. Corrin was about to snap at Iago, but suddenly heard the sound of a heavy, metal object hitting the floor. Turning, he saw that the source of the sound was Camilla's battle axe hitting the floor. She started walking towards Iago ever so slowly, the heavy weapon dragging along the floor behind her.

"Now you listen to me very carefully. If I ever, EVER, hear you speak to my siblings again like you have today, I will not hesitate to cut your neck open, grab your tongue, and rip it out through the hole. Do I make myself clear?" Camilla threatened, pointing the axe towards the royal advisor's neck to accentuate her point. Iago merely nodded in response, a nervous sweat appearing on his forehead as his legs began trembling.

"That's enough, all of you! I will not have such chaos erupting in my throne room! Now, I've heard all your arguments, but I find it difficult to pass fair judgement. So now, my dear son, I shall ask the great Anankos to pass judgement upon you. He, and he alone shall decide your fate." Garon decreed. Corrin looked at his adoptive father strangely, as did almost everyone else in the room.

"Anankos…?" Corrin asked aloud. Looking towards Xander, here merely pointed towards the ceiling. Following his brothers instruction, Corrin looked up. What he saw however, confused him greatly. Decorating the throne room's ceiling, was a stone statue of what appeared to be a man's face attached to some sort of beast's body.

' _Why does that statue seem so...familiar?'_ Corrin wondered to himself. He couldn't help but shiver under the statue's gaze. Something about it gave him the strangest sense of deja vu. His thoughts were broken when his father began speaking.

"Oh great Anankos! I stand before you today with a heavy heart. My son Corrin is under suspicion of being a traitor. The evidence presented before me leaves me unable to pass judgement. I ask that your great wisdom would help guide me in this trying time!" Garon spoke aloud, in a prayer like fashion. His arms were outstretched and pointing towards the ceiling. What followed after were several moments of intense silence. The tension in the air was so thick, it actually seemed to suffocate all except King Garon, as they were all holding their breath in anticipation.

For several seconds, nothing but silence filled the tension induced air. While no words were spoken aloud, it certainly looked like Garon was in fact speaking to someone. His face portrayed many different expressions, including anger, disappointment, and even small amusement. Many were confused by this out of character act by Garon. Usually, he was swift and uncaring in his judgement. There was never any need for consultancy or guidance, so why now?

"Do not rejoice just yet, my children. Before I welcome Corrin into our family, he must first, pass a test to prove himself." the old king decreed. The royal family sighed in disappointment.

' _Should have seen that coming…'_ they all thought collectively. It had been too easy, and they all knew their father too well to even think it would be that simple. There was always a catch to his kindness. Corrin simply stepped forward and knelt down on one knee in front of the dark king.

"What is your will father? Ask it, and it shall be done." Corrin simply stated. Garon merely grunted before speaking.

"It is not my will alone boy. The great Ananokos decrees that you must suppress the rebellion in the Ice Tribe. Do this, and you shall be welcomed into this family with open arms." Garon stated.

"The Ice Tribe? Isn't that where Felicia and Flora are from?" Corrin wondered aloud. Xander was the one who answered this time.

"Indeed. They came here originally, to try and ease tensions between Nohr and their tribe. However, as fate would have it, they were appointed as your retainers as soon as negotiations were completed. However, there have been disagreements recently, and there is talk of war breaking out between us." Xander elaborated. Corrin simply nodded in understanding.

"So be it then Father. I will not fail you." the hybrid prince vowed. Garon merely grunted before responding.

"See to it that you don't. Anankos has willed that you be killed should fail this test. Do I make myself clear, boy? Return to this castle a failure and I will not hesitate to have you killed." Garon stated grimly. Such strong words were never a threat from the dark king. Words such as those were an absolute promise, and all in the throne room knew that.

"We'll see to it that he doesn't. Come Corrin. Leo, Camilla, and I will prepare our best troops for you to take into battle with you to see that you pass this test." Xander declared. Corrin's eyes lit up at his brother's care for him. He knew that with his sibling's help, there was no way he could fail.

"Not so fast Xander." Garon interrupted. At this moment, Corrin's blood ran cold at his father's words. Garon's face, while as stern and stone cold as ever, held a small amount of cruel joy behind his cold glare. "If Corrin is to successfully carry out the will of Anankos, he must suppress the Ice Tribe's rebellion on his own." With this declaration, King Garon effectively silenced his children, and dashed all of their hopes of ever being a family again. Corrin however, accepted his task, and whatever fate may follow.

"I understand father. When shall I leave for the Ice Tribe?" Corrin inquired, a solemn tone in his voice. Xander and the others looked at Corrin in shock. Surely, he didn't believe that he could suppress the entirety of the Ice Tribe alone, could he? Garon simply smirked, while Iago merely rolled his eye's at what he believed to be Corrin's attempt at hiding his fear.

"You have three days to prepare. On the morning following the third day is when you will leave. You may do whatever you wish in those three days. Train, interact with my children, or simply pray if you must. You have full run of the castle, but under no circumstances, you will not leave the castle's grounds." Garon instructed. Corrin nodded in understanding. He looked to his siblings and saw the looks of fear written upon their faces. He knew he had to somehow ease their worries. He offered them a small smile before turning to his adoptive father again.

"May I take my leave now Father? I wish to begin getting as ready as soon as possible." he requested. The lord of Castle Krakenburg merely nodded. Corrin bowed as a sign of respect and thanks to Garon, and then quickly turned on his heels and left the throne room.

"Father, may we take our leave as well?" Xander asked. Again, the dark king merely nodded. The royal family of Nohr bowed as well, and then followed Corrin outside of the throne room. Soon, the only two who remained were King Garon and Iago. The silence in the room was deafening to be sure, as Iago was at a loss for words. He didn't understand why his lord had effectively postponed Corrin's execution. Looking to his king for answers, he was silenced before he even began speaking.

"My actions are none of your concern Iago. You are dismissed." Garon ordered. Iago, baffled and slightly humiliated, simple nodded and left the throne room in a puff of smoke. Garon merely growled.

"Damn that wizard and his parlor tricks." he grumbled. Looking back up to the statue of Anankos, a maniacal smile formed upon the old king's face, and he began to cackle madly.

"Soon, Lord Anankos. Corrin's suffering shall begin soon!" he exclaimed. Garon, thinking he was alone, laughed and yelled very loudly. However, outside of the throne room, one person heard everything.

"Father...so this was your intention all along…" Prince Xander whispered in shock. It didn't make sense. Why would his father want to make Corrin suffer. He pledged his loyalty to Nohr, and risked his life trying to come back to them! So why was he being punished for it? Xander couldn't make any sense of it. However, he knew what he had to do. Whatever the cost, he wouldn't let Corrin fail. He would rather die himself then allow Corrin die. Whatever the cost, he was ready to pay it. He would help his little brother, no matter what.

* * *

 **I'm not gonna lie, writing this chapter was kinda hard. I wanted their to be obvious discomfort in Camilla's and Corrin's relationship right now, but still keep them in character. Honestly, I'd say that keeping everyone in character is probably one of the hardest things about writing this story. However, I also wanna give it a more...realistic(?) tone. In the game, while there are shades of gray literally everywhere, I feel like most of the character's don't really break character that often, or ask any questions. For instance, Corrin can turn into a dragon now, but it's never brought up but the Nohrian royals, nor does it have any long lasting side effects on him.**

 **On another note, I really hoped I made everything believable. While I mostly try to stick close to the story, I'm also trying to expand on scenes and dialogue, which will hopefully improve the original story. Let me know what you guys think! Be sure to leave a review for me! See you all next time!**


	4. Chapter 4-Before The Journey Starts

**Long time no see! So...the keyboard on my laptop kinda sorta broke, which is why it took me so long to post this chapter. Not to mention Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New years...it's been busy for me, you know? I know that's not really an excuse, but I hope you guys understand. But let's not dwell on the past. Without any further adieu, here's chapter 4!**

* * *

 **Chapter 4**

 **Before the Journey Starts**

"Brother, do you mind telling me just what the hell you're thinking!?" Leo exclaimed angrily. It's not that he didn't have absolute faith in his brother's ability, but suppressing an entire tribe on his own? He doubted even Xander could do that. Corrin just smiled at his little brother's own unique way of showing that he cared.

"Leo, all I need to do is conquer this trial and I'll be accepted into the family once more. I have no other option but to win." Corrin replied calmly. Leo massaged his temples in annoyance. His older brother was trying his nerves today.

"It's not that simple Corrin! Taking on an entire tribe of battle hardened warriors by yourself is practically suicide!" Leo shouted. Corrin sighed deeply, but said nothing. He began to walk over to his brother, who looked at him oddly as he made his way. Upon reaching him, he brought his brother in close for a hug. Leo's eyes simply widened, but he said nothing as he hugged Corrin back.

"It'll be alright Leo. I'll win, no matter what." Corrin vowed. Leo only shook his head, a humorless laugh escaping his lips.

"You're hopeless, you know that, don't you?" Leo said softly. Corrin laughed at this, his brother's attempt at hiding his feelings hadn't gone unnoticed.

"Yes, but isn't that why I have you?" Corrin asked. Leo smiled lightly at his brother's comment.

"Yes, I suppose you're right." the dark knight remarked. He released himself from his brother's hug and sighed. "Although, if you are going to go through with this, I'll do everything I can to help. Come by the library later, and we'll discuss strategy."

"Of course. I'll need all the help I can get. Would after dinner work for you?" the hybrid asked. Leo only nodded in response, to which Corrin smiled brightly. The adopted prince was about to respond further, but was interrupted when a sudden mess of blonde hair invaded his sight. Realizing that he had been tackled to the ground by a hug again, Corrin could only smile further.

"Big Brother!" Elise cried out. Corrin chuckled at his youngest sister's actions. As Leo had stated earlier, she was technically an adult. Be that as it may, Elise still acted like a child, and though no one would admit it, it was the best thing in the world. The very atmosphere of Nohr was very dark and dreary, with a constant sense of dread and apprehension constantly invading the air. To have one person be so innocent and childlike in the face of that was truly a blessing from the gods.

"Elise, this is truly becoming a bad habit of yours." Corrin remarked with a grin tugging at his lips. When she didn't respond, the adopted prince became worried.

"Elise, what's wrong? Everything's okay, I promise." Corrin said, trying to calm her down. He was greeted with Elise picking up her head from his chest, her violet eyes wet with tears.

"Everything's NOT okay Corrin! You have to go fight a whole tribe of big, mean warrior's all on your own! What if you get lost on the way there? Or you run out of food? What if you DIE? I couldn't live without your Corrin!" the young princess wailed out. Corrin, despite recognizing that those were all valid points, could only smile at his sister's care for him. He simply hugged her closer to him before speaking.

"It's alright little princess. I'll win no matter what. I don't have a choice. I won't let any of you down, and that's a promise." Corrin told her. Elise wasn't convinced however.

"But you don't know that for sure! How could you know for sure?!" Elise cried out. Corrin kept smiling as he began speaking again.

"I know for sure because that's the only option I have. I can't let you guys down. Besides, I gave you my word, didn't I?" he asked her. Elise nodded in response, making Corrin smile even further. "Then there you go. My word is my bond. I won't fail you. I have to come back to all of you. That's all there is to it." Corrin stated.

"You promise?" Elise sniffled. Corrin flashed her a full toothy smile.

"I promise." he said. Content with his answer, Elise got up off of Corrin, who followed suit as soon as he got his bearings.

"Well...okay then. But you better keep your promise!" the blonde princess warned. This made Corrin laugh, as the very thought of his youngest sister trying to be intimidating was just too funny.

"I wouldn't dream of breaking it!" Corrin said, causing Elise to laugh. She went to go grab his hands in an effort to dance with him, but Corrin jumped back as soon as her hand's made contact with his. This caused both Leo and Elise to look at their brother confusedly.

"Brother, what's wrong?" Leo asked worriedly. Corrin only shook his head in response. The fact that Corrin was such an honest person, and so forthcoming in his convictions was something that they all admired about their adoptive sibling. This sudden change in his behavior gave the Nohrian Royal Family plenty of reasons to be concerned.

"Corrin, let me see your hands." Elise asked. Corrin again, only shook his head. Corrin began to back away from his siblings slowly, keeping his hands close to his chest. He was mortified to show them his new dragon transformation. He was worried that they would think he was some sort of monster.

"Corrin, please. Tell us what's wrong"

"Big Brother, let me help you."

Their pleas fell on deaf ears. Corrin was too nervous to tell them that he lost control of his powers briefly, which caused his claws to dig into his hands. Continuing to back away without looking behind him, Corrin was surprised when he felt himself back into something shockingly soft. Looking behind him, he saw Camilla and Xander, both with worried yet stern expressions etched upon their faces.

"Keeping secrets from us Corrin? How naughty." his lavender haired sister scolded him.

"Camilla's right, Corrin. You've never kept secrets from us. Please, tell us what's wrong so that we can help you." Xander pleaded.

"It's not something that you help with…" Corrin said sadly. This caught all of their attention. They all held the belief that if they worked together as a family, there wasn't anything they couldn't overcome. To hear him say such a thing with that idea in mind disturbed them all greatly.

"What do you mean by that? Corrin, what's going on, you're scaring me." Elise whimpered out. Corrin's eyes widened. On instinct, he reached out to embrace his sister in a hug. However, Camilla saw this as her chance. Acting quickly, she grabbed Corrin's outstretched arm by the wrist.

"Time to see what you've been hiding, you naughty boy." Camilla said. Corrin's red eyes widened at this.

"Camilla, please, no!" Corrin pleaded. Camilla only shot him a sparing glance before prying his hand open. Camilla gasped at the sight of his hand, dropping it so she could cover her mouth. Confused, the others quickly grabbed a hold of Corrin's hands, but found he no longer struggled to keep them closed. Upon looking at it, they too, shared a similar reaction. Leo and Xander were simply shocked into silence, while Elise tried to, but failed miserably to hold back her tears.

The palms of Corrin's hands were cut and torn. One might even say they were mutilated. Dried blood caked his hands, while pus flowed freely from his still open wounds. Corrin could only stare at the ground, unable to meet the eyes of his family.

"Corrin...who did this to you?" Xander asked softly. Corrin only shook his head, as a bitter, dry laugh escaped his lips.

"Who? Well...I did." Corrin said. Leo was the first to raise his concerns at this.

"You? Don't mess with us Corrin. Whoever did this to you needs to pay!" Leo near shouted. Corrin's eyes narrowed at this.

"Then make me pay brother, because I'm telling you the truth!" Corrin fired back. The Nohr's royal family was truly at a loss of what to do. They couldn't tell if their brother was really telling the truth, or if he was hiding the real culprit. However, even if it was him who did it, then how would he be able to inflict such wounds upon himself?

"Then tell us Corrin, how did you do this? **Why** did you do this?" Xander inquired. Corrin's sudden boldness faded, and he retreated back into himself. Camilla seemed to notice, and approached the young prince.

"Corrin, it's okay. We're not mad, we just wanna help. Please, tell us." the princess pleaded. Corrin's crimson eyes bore into his sister's violet orbs, uncertainty staring straight into worry. Corrin closed his eyes and took a deep breath in an attempt to calm himself down. Steeling his resolve, his eyes opened back up, and he began to look at the worried faces of his siblings.

"I...didn't do this on purpose. There's something I need to tell you; something I have to show you." Corrin began, as his family could only nod, anticipation driving them mad.

"If you could meet me in my chambers in say...an hour. Also, Elise, could you be a dear and grab a loaf of bread for me? It's important." the silver haired prince asked, as the youngest princess of Nohr nodded eagerly.

"You can count on me Corrin!" Elise happily chirped. Corrin smiled and nodded in return. Xander, Camilla, and Leo could only smile at Elise, who always tried so hard to make those around her as happy as she could. However, one thought plagued their minds; what was Corrin hiding from them?

Forty-five minutes already passed, and Corrin wasn't faring well at all. He figured that the hour would give him time to calm down and straighten out his story, but in all reality, it just made him more nervous. Realistically speaking, he knew that his family would accept him no matter what, but the thoughts that played at the back of his mind anyway. All of his uncertainties and fears were nagging at him since this whole ordeal started. The young prince stared into his mirror, studying his features intently. Less than two weeks had passed since he learned the truth of his birth, and how he came to Nohr.

What was once childish innocence on his face, was now replaced with a war veteran's hyper awareness of his surroundings. While not glaring, the usual peaceful look that Corrin wore was now a sharp pair of eyes constantly bouncing over the room. His room was far too wide open. The balcony was an easy place for an assassin to sneak into and slit his throat, while his door was far too slim to allow for a quick escape should someone be guarding it. The ticking of the clock was what Corrin's attention was on now. Turning to look at it, he noticed the time.

"Only ten minutes now…" Corrin whispered softly to himself. The prince laid on his bed, trying to calm his nerves.

The words _'Just tell them the truth!'_ roared in his head. _'It is not that hard! They're supposed to be family, right? If they are, then they will understand no matter what!'_ The voice yelling in the back of his mind was much more reasoning than demanding now.

' _But what if they don't? What if they'll be afraid or hate me for it? If they make me leave, than there's no way I could bring peace to Nohr or Hoshido. Not by myself…_ ' Corrin's fear was beginning to take hold once more. Reason was being thrown out the window, and irrational thought was once again taking hold of the young hybrid. ' _But I shouldn't think like that. They love me...right?_ ' Corrin sighed angrily. He couldn't find a balance for his thoughts. Running both hands through his hair, he sat up quickly. Taking a deep breath, Corrin tried once again to calm his nerves.

' _No matter what happens, I will find a way to end this war. I promise you that, Mother…_ ' a knock on the door ripped Corrin away from his thoughts. Corrin looked at his clock. There was still five minutes left until his brothers and sisters were to arrive. Corrin's eye's narrowed.

"Who is it?" Corrin called out.

"Corrin, it's Xander. I wished to speak with you privately for a moment." the eldest Nohrian Prince responded. Corrin thought found this odd, but went to open the door for his older brother. True to word, there Xander stood, complete with his usual attire.

"Big brother, what brings you here so early?" Corrin asked. Xander just shot him a wry smile.

"Well you know me Corrin. I do usually tend to be a little early, don't I?" Xander answered with a small chuckle. Thinking back to all of the early morning training sessions the two of them shared, Corrin could only shudder. Xander would truly make a terrifying opponent. Siegfried, Xander's sacred sword, was truly a fearsome weapon to behold, and atop his horse, Xander was nearly untouchable in battle.

"I should have known that if anyone were to come here now, it would be you. So, what was it that you wished to discuss with me?" Corrin wondered. Upon asking, Xander's face adopted a much more serious appearance. Corrin noticed and motioned for his brother to enter his room.

"I was worried about what happened to you in Hoshido. If I recall correctly, the High Prince of Hoshido mentioned that there was an attempt on your life." Xander was always one to cut straight to the point, but even so, Corrin was caught off guard by this.

"You mean when the Ganglari exploded in the townsquare?" Corrin inquired. Although Corrin asked, he knew what Xander was asking about. Xander merely responded by nodding. The young prince sighed heavily, as he was hoping that he wouldn't have to talk about that event. His mouth ran dry, and his throat felt constricted.

"The Hoshidan Royal family and I, along with Queen Mikoto were-" Corrin began, but Xander stopped him there.

"Corrin, she is your mother, is she not?" Xander asked. Corrin only nodded in response. Xander offered him a small smile, as he began again.

"Then I expect you to show her the respect she undoubtedly deserves. You don't have to hide that from me." Xander said. Corrin could only nod, absolutely dumbfounded by his brother's show of support.

"Of course Xander, thank you." Corrin began. " The Hoshidan Royal Family and I, along with our mother, were in the townsquare when it happened. My mother wanted to reintroduce me to the Hoshidans. Everything was going great until…" the hybrid trailed off, causing Xander to worry. Placing his hand on his younger brother's shoulder, he urged him to continue.

"It's okay Corrin. I'm here for you." Xander reassured. Corrin again, could only nod. The young prince felt the sting of his tears threatening to fall from his eyes.

"Everything was going great until Ganglari, the sword that father gifted me with, flew out of its sheath and into the hands of a cloaked stranger, who stabbed the sword into the ground. Somehow, it created an explosion who killed almost everyone around it, and severely wounded those close enough to it. The sword..it shattered, and the pieces of it...they were sent flying...towards me..and...and…" Corrin was practically sobbing now. It pained Xander to see his brother like this, as Corrin didn't cry often, not even when he was a child. He was the type of person to take the burden of the world on his shoulders and suffer in silence about it rather than trouble others with his problems. The two were so focused on their conversation that they didn't even realize Leo, Camilla, and Elise had also entered the room, listening intently.

"...the shards of the sword...they would have killed me if my mother hadn't jumped in front of them. She...she sacrificed herself so that I could live. I'm only alive right now because of her." Corrin choked out. Tears were freely running down his face, and each breath he took was hard and shallow. It seemed that no matter how he gasped for air, he could never fill his lungs with enough, as his violent sobs forced any amount of it quickly back out of where it came from. The royal family of Nohr was utterly speechless, as they had no idea of what atrocious acts of war were committed that day.

"Her last words...she didn't even care that she was dying! She...she only wanted to know if I was okay...and I could only...only say that I was fine. I just...I didn't want to worry her in her last moments. She died with a smile on her face…" Corrin lamented. Xander sensed that there was more to this story, and whatever it was, he knew that Corrin needed to talk about it.

"Corrin, I'm so sorry, none of us knew what happened. I want you to know that I will do everything in my power to find out what happened that day. I will make sure that your mother is avenged. You've my word on it." the Nohrian crown prince swore. Corrin could only nod numbly, His sobbing had stopped, but tears still cascaded down his ivory cheeks like a free flowing waterfall. Noticing that his brother had essentially retreated into himself, Xander placed his hand on Corrin's shoulder and shook him gently. In response, Corrin looked up, and met with his brother's caring but fierce gaze.

"Corrin, is there anything else you wish to speak about before our meeting starts?" the paladin inquired. Corrin simply shook his head in the negative.

"Very well then. Camilla, Leo, Elise? You can come out now." Xander stated.

"Aw...busted.." whined Elise, which earned a chuckle from Camilla, while Leo simply rolled his eyes. Camilla, upon leaving her hiding place, laid eyes on Corrin, and without a second thought in her mind, embraced him, and held him as close as she possibly could.

"Shh, it's alright now Corrin. I'm here for you, always." she whispered into his ear soothingly. Corrin's head was basically shoved into Camilla's hair, and was immediately entranced by the smell of lavender.

' _We'll be together forever, right Camilla?_ ' the memory seeped into the forefront of Corrin's mind. He couldn't help but remember the better times he had when he and his siblings were younger. Camilla constantly taking care of him, Xander training him, Leo teaching him, and Elise being there to remind him on his darkest days that there would always be a light at the end of the tunnel. Looking past Camilla, he saw his family standing there, love and worry evident as the sun in a clear summer's day intently on their faces.

"We'll figure this out Corrin. I promise you." Leo stated calmly, Elise shook her head in agreement.

"Yeah! No one messes with my big brother and gets away with it!" Elise shouted, pumping a fist into the air. It was too much. The love that these people had for Corrin, who wasn't even their brother by blood, was simply too much for him to take. The tears started to fall again, and he threw his arms around Camilla and held onto her like his very life depended on it.

"Thank you...thank you all so much." Corrin sobbed out. No one said a word, but the silence was understood. No one needed to say anything, because they all knew that they all loved each other. So they just sat there in silence, while Corrin was ridding himself of all the emotional turmoil that was plaguing him for days.

* * *

 **So I really wanted to focus on Xander and Corrin, plus build tensions with some of the secrets that Corrin is keeping. Also, it always kinda bothered me that once Queen Mikoto died, it was basically done and over with. It was never brought up again in the story, unless you played revelations, but even then...I dunno, we never saw how it really affected Corrin. So...I decided to write my interpretation about it. Moving on though...I've already started up on Chapter 5, so you can count on that being uploaded rather soon. What's that, you want a hint? Well...the Nohrian Royal Family is sure in for a surprise next time! And that's all I'll say. But seriously, take care everyone, and I'll see you next time!**


	5. Chapter 5-Truth and Consequences

**Two updates in one day? Damn I'm good. Hey everyone, it's been a while for sure! Before you go asking where I've been and threatening to kill me for taking so long to update, let me explain. It's been a busy and hectic year for sure. I was in a toxic relationship for sure, and that really affected me when I wanted to write. On top of that, I joined the army, so I haven't had all the time in the world. But I'm free from that relationship, and my schedule is more even now, so I'll have a lot more time to write now, so you can expect updates rather soon! But I won't keep you waiting anymore, welcome back to "Nothing is left to Fate"!**

* * *

 **Truth and Consequences**

Corrin wasn't sure how much time had passed. Minutes had turned into hours, hours had felt like days. It seemed like an eternity had passed since his recap of the tragedy that took place the day his mother died. However, he hadn't disclosed the final few details of what took place that day, and how his life changed in more ways than one from that day forward. Corrin bit his lip nervously, practically gnawing on the the sensitive flesh, as he paced back and forth in his room in front of his siblings. While most of them waited patiently, others could not. Elise's boundless energy was slowly seeping out of her calm facade, while Leo was impatiently tapping his foot on the ground with his arms crossed. Only Camilla and Xander seemed to have a grasp of the severity of what Corrin was about to tell them.

"Corrin, what exactly are we waiting for? I understand that this must be a delicate subject for you, but I for one do have important things to do." Leo remarked. Corrin sighed in exasperation.

"Now, now Leo, I'm sure whatever our dear brother has to tell us will certainly be worth the wait." Camilla lightly scolded. Corrin sent a small smile towards his older adopted sister, who sent a bright smile back at him.

"I don't doubt the importance of this sister, I just don't understand why we're just sitting here in complete silence." the Dark Knight snapped. Corrin's eyes shot to the ground.

"We're waiting on someone very important. Elise, you brought what I asked for, right?" Corrin inquired. Elise quickly flashed the loaf of bread she grabbed from the kitchen.

"Of course Corrin! Snatching this from the chef's was easy as pie!" Elise cheered.

"Don't you mean, easy as bread?" Camilla said with a small chuckle.

"Honestly sister, your jokes need more work…" Xander remarked. Camilla honestly seemed hurt by this.

"What do you mean? My jokes happened to be hilarious, right Corrin?" Nohr's oldest princess pleaded. Though, Corrin wasn't paying much attention the the squabbling of his siblings. His crimson eyes were eying the clock in his room with worry and detachment. He couldn't shake the feeling that his family would look at him differently after this. The raging dragon that slept within his soul was constantly roaring, slamming against the cages that the Dragon Stone had set up. Even now, he could hear it…

"Corrin?" the young prince heard a voice calling out to him, which snapped him out of his thoughts. The half-breed looked to see his youngest sister staring at him, her violet eyes full of concern. Shaking his head of his intruding thoughts, he mustered up the best smile for Elise.

"What is it little one?" he asked. The rest of the Nohrian royal family looked at him with their eyes full of concern.

"We've been calling you for several minutes now brother. Are you okay?" Elise asked. Corrin's eyes widened by a fraction, as he honestly hadn't heard a single word they had apparently said to him.

"Oh...what did you all need?" he asked timidly.

"We were all wondering when you were gonna show us...whatever it is you needed to show us. We don't have all day you know." Leo commented dryly, which earned him a smack to the back of his head from Nohr's oldest princess. When the Dark Knight went to retort, Camilla shot him a glare that silenced any comment that was about to leave his mouth. As she went to scold her impatient brother, Elise let out what sounded like a scream. Xander, Camilla, and Leo all looked over to their youngest sibling to see what was the matter.

"Elise, darling, what's the matter?" Camilla inquired, worried about her sister. Elise however, had the biggest smile plastered all over her face as she ran past her siblings to what appeared to be...a fish floating on a crystal ball?

"It's...it's….SO CUTE!" the troubadour exclaimed, as she grabbed the strange creature and hugged it with all of her might. The poor creature looked as though it could barely breathe, and struggled desperately to free itself from Elise's crushing grip.

"Princess Elise, while I've missed you so, I'd greatly appreciate my spine remaining in one piece…" the small creature choked out. Upon hearing her name, Elise let go of the small fish like creature and looked at it skeptically.

"How do you know my name?" Elise asked worriedly. Her siblings were all wondering the very same thing, as none of them had ever seen the odd creature that floated before them.

"Oh, I'm very familiar with all of you. After all, I served you all for years, isn't that right Lord Corrin?" the strange creature inquired in an almost sing-song like voice. The silver haired prince could only laugh at his former maid's antics.

"Yes Lilith, you've been apart of the family for many years indeed. Ever since I was just a child, correct?" Corrin asked, though he already knew the answer. The small dragon chirped in the affirmative, and seemed to bounce upon the air she floated on as if it were as solid as the ground that the royal family stood upon. Speaking of the royal family, there were certainly flabbergasted.

"Corrin, did you just address this small creature as 'Lilith'?" the crowned prince had asked. Corrin shook nodded his head with a nervous smile.

"The same Lilith who has served as your maid, and taken care of you since you were just a child?" Leo had inquired.

"The very same." Corrin replied, and then turned to his little sister. "Elise, may I see that bread you have? I need it for Lilith." Elise just numbly nodded her head, her young mind trying to process the information that was just thrust upon all of them. Corrin graciously took the bread and offered his sister a small smile, patting her head gently. Corrin then turned and offered the bread to his former maid.

"I know it'll be difficult to take so many people to the Astral Plane all at once, but please, try your best Lilith. It's of the utmost importance." the half-breed prince pleaded. Lilith's amber eyes bore into his crimson orbs and she understood the gravity of what he asked, and she could tell how important this was too him.

"Understood, Lord Corrin. I'll start preparing immediately." the small dragon replied earnestly. Corrin turned to his family, who all stared at him with confused expressions adorning each of their faces.

"I know I have a lot of explaining to do, but please understand. I can't risk showing you here. It's too dangerous." Corrin explained. Nohr's oldest princess was the first to reply.

"I trust you Corrin. Whatever it is that you need to show us, just know that I'll support you no matter what." Camilla stated. Corrin just smiled warmly at her, but the uncertainty in his heart was on full display due to his eyes. Nohr's oldest son realized this, and took his turn to step forward.

"The same goes for me Corrin. No matter what, you will always be part of this family, and you will always have my love and support." Xander swore. Elise affirmed this by running forward and hugging Corrin's midsection (as that was all she could really reach) as tightly as she could before looking up to her adoptive brother.

"Yeah, same here Corrin! You're part of the family, now and always!" Elise chirped. Corrin felt tears well up in his eyes, but what finally pushed him over the edge was Nohr's youngest prince placing his hand on Corrin's shoulder and reaffirming his belief in his brother.

"Though we may not be bound like blood like you and the Hoshidan Royals, you are truly my brother through and through." Leo swore. Corrin could feel the tears rolling down his face, and the sobs began to rock his body. The affection his family was showing him, even after he found out the truth about how he came to Nohr was beyond anything he could take. He felt a hand on his other shoulder, and looked to see his older brother standing next to him.

"What binds us together is stronger than blood little prince. Never forget that." Xander said simply, but the meaning behind his words was stronger than almost anything that Corrin had ever heard before. Lastly, he felt the familiar plushness of Camilla at his back, with her arms circling around his chest in a tight embrace.

"You mean more to us than you know darling. You mean more to me than you will ever know…" she trailed off. From the sound of her voice, it sounded like she was about to cry, but Corrin couldn't turn around to check. Instead, he could only reply with two words.

"Thank you.." he managed to choke out between sobs. Lilith, who had been ready for several minutes, just didn't have it in her to break up the beautiful moment happening before her.

' _Maybe one day, I'll be able to have that too…'_ she thought to herself longingly. It was then that she had felt a flux in the portal that was supposed to bring her and the Nohrian royal family to the Outrealm.

"Corrin, if I we don't go now, I can't guarantee everyone's safe passage to the Astral Plane. We must leave immediately." the small dragon warned. Corrin heard her, but didn't acknowledge right away.

' _I really do have the best family in the world...I don't know what I would do without them.._ ' he thought privately to himself. He turned his head to Lilith and gave her a nod, signaling her to begin. The small dragon nodded and gave him a smile, then closed her eyes as she began to concentrate. The room around them began to blur, as if it were an image reflected upon distorted water. The bed, table, and walls around the family began to shimmer out of sight, and instead, a lush, green field surrounded by castle walls began to replace them.

The field held several sakura trees, and at the apex of the field, was a Nohrian style castle. The Nohrian family, who had their eyes closed due to the blinding flash of light, opened their eyes and were astounded by the sight that stretched out before them. Such views were not a common sight within Nohr's boundaries, and could only truly be seen within Hoshido's border. The crowned prince of Nohr was the first to speak.

"Corrin, what is this place? I've never seen anything quite like this before." Xander inquired. Corrin scratched his head nervously.

"Well...we're in the Astral Plane." the silver haired prince answered simply. Leo, being that the genius yet skeptic that he was, was the first to reply to Corrin's claim.

"You mean one of the many world's that are separate from our own? Since when have you been able to access this place Corrin?" Leo questioned. Thinking back on it, Corrin's first visit here wasn't exactly a fond one. Hans nearly killed him back then, and falling to his death certainly wasn't something that Corrin liked to remember.

"Back when Father first sent me to the border at the Bottomless Canyon, we had encountered resistance from nearby Hoshidan troops. While I had wanted to withdraw to avoid conflict, Hans had charged straight in and started killing several of Hoshido's soldiers." Corrin stated bitterly, with his family listening intently.

"With no other choice, Felicia, Gunther and I had entered the battle. While we had won the skirmish with relative ease, Hans quickly turned on Gunther and I, pushing us both into the Bottomless Canyon." he continued, with the others stunned at this confession. Camilla and Xander filled to the brim with rage, while Elise had tears forming in her eyes as she realized how close Corrin was to death that day. However, the Dark Knight asked the question that was on all of their minds.

"Wait a minute. If you fell into the Bottomless Canyon, then how are you still here?" Leo asked, genuinely confused. With this, Lilith had jumped in front of the family, a smile present on her small face.

"That's where I come in! I gave up my human form so that I could rescue Lord Corrin. Using the same power that I used to bring you all here, I brought him here so that I might save his life. It would seem that this realm in particular reacts to Lord Corrin's power in a strange way, which is why it has taken the form that you all see before you." the small dragon explained. The royal family had trouble processing everything that they had been told. Truthfully, it was certainly a lot to take in. Corrin and Lilith waited patiently as the others processed all this information. Several minutes had passed when suddenly, Camilla ran up to the both of them and glomped both of them.

"Oh Corrin, you're never leaving my side ever again! It's much too dangerous out there without me to protect you!" she exclaimed dramatically, practically crushing Corrin and Lilith in the process.

"And you Lilith! Thank you so much for saving my darling Corrin for me! I am in your debt!" the violet haired princess cried out. Unfortunately for the two within her grasp, they were having trouble breathing, and couldn't quite find a way to tell Camilla that without her getting upset. Luckily, Xander came to the rescue.

"Alright sister, I think that's enough of that. But truthfully, Lilith, we are in your debt. If there is ever anything that you need, please do not hesitate to ask." Xander offered. Reluctantly, Camilla had released the two within her embrace with a pout on her face, while both Corrin and Lilith had taken a deep breath of fresh air in an attempt to compensate the air they were not receiving while in Camilla's grasp. However, Elise gave Corrin no time to rest.

"Big brother! I can't ever lose you, okay? Don't you ever go off without me again, you got it!?" she threatened, and Corrin couldn't help but chuckle at his little sister's attempt to intimidating.

"Of course Elise, you have my word on it. I wouldn't ever dream of leaving you behind." he said to her. Elise just nodded her head with a triumphant smile on her face. Leo however, got straight to the point of why they were there in the first place.

"So Corrin, why did you need to bring us here in the first place? What's so important that we needed to come here?" Leo inquired, and as a result, Corrin's face fell immediately. This was the moment that he was dreading so. He didn't answer at first, and instead, pulled out the blue stone that was around his neck, and held it in his hands for all to see.

"Corrin, what is that stone you have there?" Xander had asked. Corrin looked away for a moment, taking a deep breath.

' _Well...here goes nothing…_ ' he thought to himself. Looking back at his family, he steeled his resolve.

"This is a Dragonstone. It helps me keep my powers in check." he started to explain. However, Xander raised his eyebrows.

"Powers? What powers?" he asked warily. Corrin once again sighed, but didn't say anything. Instead, he gripped the stone in his hands and concentrated. The others present were confused at first, but once they saw the stone start to shine a brilliant blue, they knew that their questions would soon be answered.

The stone had begun to vibrate rapidly, and the light emitting from the stone was getting brighter with each passing second. Corrin could feel the beast inside begin to thrash around in anger.

' _No! I'm in control here. You will listen to me!_ ' Corrin had ordered it. With one last pulse of light, a brilliant flash had overtaken the royal family's vision, causing them to shield their eyes. Once the light has subsided, they had all opened their eyes, expecting to see Corrin standing before them, but instead, was something beyond their imagining. Before them, in Corrin's place, stood a large, gray beast, that stood on four, skinny legs, two of which seemed like blades. A large tail seemed to wag in back of it, with an impressive set of wings moving ever so slightly. Though the beast had no eyes on its dark blue face, the family could tell that it was eying them, as if it were waiting for something.

"I...don't understand, what is this?" Xander had asked.

"It looks so...so scary…" Elise whimpered, hiding behind Leo, who just eyed the creature warily.

"What...what is this beast? And where is Corrin?" Leo wondered aloud. The beast seemed to flinch at their words, and took a step back. It's head lowered, as if it were sad. Camilla just studied it with stern eyes. The beast seemed to look at her specifically, before turning its head away in what appeared to be shame. It was then that Camilla's violet eyes widened in surprise before they softened. She took a step forward towards the strange creature.

"Camilla stop! We don't know what that thing is!" Leo had warned. However, she didn't seem to hear him as she continued forward. She extended her arm in an attempt to touch the beast in front of her, but he seemed almost frightened of her.

"Shhh...it's okay, I won't hurt you." she said soothingly. The beast seemed to understand her, and slowly craned its long neck forward so that its head could meet her hand. Once her hand was upon the great beast's head, she began to pet it lovingly, and the beast responded by seemingly nuzzling into her hand.

"Corrin...that is you in there, isn't it?" Camilla asked the creature. The others didn't know what to say to Camilla's question. At first, there was no indication that the beast had even heard her, but then something had happened that blew them all away.

"Yes sister. It's me in here." the beast responded using Corrin's voice. With the exception of Camilla, the rest of them were floored.

"How is this possible? Corrin, just happened to you in Hoshido?" Leo questioned his transformed brother. Corrin's head bowed down in a mixture of shame and sadness, only for it to be picked back up by Camilla.

"It's okay Corrin, we're here." she said encouragingly. The transformed prince nuzzled into her hand, which didn't go unnoticed by Camilla, causing her to giggle and smile warmly. Corrin then took one step back and seemed to take a crouching position. After a moment, there was an explosion of blue flames around him, and his form seemed to shrink within the azure blaze. After the flames subsided, his family and familiar could be see him on his knees, visibly drained from his transformation, as he was panting and noticably paler than usual.

"Are you alright Corrin?" Elise asked timidly. Corrin gave his little sister a tired smile, nodding at her.

"I'm alright little one, I just need a moment to catch my breath. Doing that takes a lot out of me. I'm not quite used to it yet." Corrin explained. Leo and Xander both raised an eyebrow at him in response to his statement.

"And just what is that Corrin? You've never been able to do that before." Leo inquired.

"It is certainly worrying indeed brother. We all house the blood of the royal family within us. The power of the First Dragon's is strong with us, but we can do nothing like that." Xander said. Corrin took one last deep breath before standing up straight, his breathing more even and natural now.

"To be honest, I'm not exactly sure what it is. When I saw my mother die in front of me, I was overcome by so many emotions. Grief, sorrow, rage...so many things were running through my head. But then I heard it." the silver haired prince explained. Leo looked at him strangely.

"What did you hear Corrin?" the Dark Knight asked. Corrin's eyes narrowed a bit.

"I heard...a beast roaring out in anger and pain. I felt a pain in my chest spread throughout my whole body, and my vision went blank. I...don't really remember what happened too well, but I apparently attacked the one who murdered my mother, and even lashed out at some of my Hoshidan siblings before transforming back." Corrin explained solemnly. He then took out a small, glowing blue stone that he kept as a necklace around his neck.

"This is what they called a Dragonstone. It lets me harness the power of that beast and control it at will. But...I still feel it in there. It's strong and I'm not as in control of the power as I would like to be." he elaborated further. Leo, ever the curious and intellectual being he was, walked up to Corrin and held the Dragonstone in his hand, looking it with a look full of wonderment.

"I can certainly feel strong magics at work within this stone. Whoever made this has obviously made one before. Perhaps we may find more out there?" he wondered aloud. However, the thought disturbed Corrin. If there were more people out there with power like him, then how did they manage to control their power without losing their sanity? Everytime he accessed the power of the dragon within him, he could feel the beast thrashing against him, refusing to be subjugated to his will. It took the utmost concentration for him to access that form, and doing so took a great toll on his stamina.

"So this is what you were so afraid to tell us?" Xander asked, however, it was more of a statement than a question. Corrin nodded silently in the affirmative, not knowing what to say.

"I see...well I don't understand why you were so afraid." Nohr's crown prince stated. Corrin looked up in surprise at his older brother, truly at a loss for words.

"Indeed, this was a most unexpected outcome, but you are still my brother, no matter what form you take." Xander explained, his kind words warming Corrin's heart. Tears threatened to spill the young orphan's eyes, as he wasn't expecting this at all. However, Xander wasn't the only one to speak his mind.

"Truly, you must have the devil's own luck. To have such a transformation available to could introduce countless new battle strategies. Make wise use of this power Corrin. With your upcoming mission, it could prove to be quite the life saver." Leo advised. Corrin smiled at this brother.

"Of course Leo. I'll make sure to use this power to the best of my ability in the trials to come, you can be sure of that." Corrin swore. Leo smiled in return, offering him a nod of approval. Corrin was going to make sure that Elise was alright, but he suddenly found himself on the ground with a mop of blonde hair obstructing his vision. He couldn't help but chuckle. While a gentle soul at heart, Elise certainly had an aggressive way of showing how much she cared.

"Don't scare me like that ever again, okay?" was all Elise could say. The pangs of guilt pulled at Corrin's heart, but he hugged his sister back, before speaking.

"I won't. I promise you Elise." he swore. The older siblings of the two smiled at the genuine bond they shared. These two were truly the Light that made living in the dark kingdom of Nohr truly worth all the hardship they faced. After a few minutes of them laying on the soft ground beneath them, the two finally got up, and Corrin faced his older sister, the one who he was worried about most of all throughout this whole ordeal. The violet haired princess walked up to Corrin, the look in her eyes unreadable to Corrin, which troubled him greatly.

"You know, you scared us all quite a bit." she started out, her voice having a slight edge to it, making Corrin flinch both out of her words, and the stern gaze she held him under. However, despite this, he faced her, not wavering.

"I know. I'm sorry Camilla. Words could never express how sorry I am." he spoke to her softly, trying his best to convey his feelings. She looked at him again for a moment.

"My dear Corrin...when we were out there on the battlefield the day you made your choice to join us rather than Hoshido, I knew that there was something different about you. Your words were heavier, and the way you spoke that day spoke volumes of what you had undergone. I thought I could protect you from the cruelties of this world, just like I could protect you from your nightmares when you were younger. But…" she faltered, her eyes threatening to spill over tears she had been trying so hard to hold back.

"Camilla, I.." Corrin tried to say, but she raised her hand, gesturing him to stop after she composed herself.

"I know Corrin. You and that power of yours will accomplish great things. You will always be my adorable little brother. You've really grown so much. I just hope you'll let me watch over you, and protect you just a little while longer." she said almost longingly. Corrin could only nod.

"I wouldn't have it any way sister. You mean the world to me." Corrin said with a smile. Camilla couldn't take it anymore. She closed the distance between them and trapped him within a tight embrace, giving him no room wiggle out. Normally, Corrin would object to her seemingly squeezing the life out of him, but he understood that she needed this and allowed it to happen, as he soon heard quite sobs escaping his sister's voice. He could only hug her back and try his best to calm her down, as did the rest of the Nohrian royal family. Before Corrin knew it, he was surrounded in a group hug, much to Leo's objection, as they all knew that it had been a stressful time, and while not everyone wanted to admit it, they needed this. Lilith could only stare on, with a small smile gracing her small face.

' _You truly have no idea how lucky you are, Master Corrin. I only wish you knew the truth…'_

* * *

 **This is probably the longest chapter I've written, and I'm feeling pretty damn proud of it. Let me know what you all think, because I love hearing about it! Tell me what you loved, hated, and what you think I could do better! I really wanted to turn up the drama for this chapter. Next chapter starts our grand adventure, so please stay tuned. Until next time! Have a great night everyone!**


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